Justice Academy for the Athletically Excellent
by YoursTrulyJaneDoe
Summary: Artemis just wants a way out of her everyday life. This is her chance
1. Chapter 1

"I'm not good at this," is what I say before I let loose the arrow. It flies just short of the center. And I give a disgruntled sigh. I had been trying to miss, but instinct ingrained from years of training show through. Oliver Queen, the recruiter, can tell, if the way he's gaping at me like I'm the messiah is anything to go by. "NOT GOOD AT THIS MY ASS!" He's screaming at this point and I feel headache not derived from hunger or exhaustion beginning to pound in my head and I'm happy because of the normalcy of it. Remember a time when I would have given anything to have a headache for so mundane a reason.

"Artemis, believe me you've got real talent and you're wasting it in North Gotham High. You've got the talent and I'm more than willing to give you the opportunity. I'll give you full tuition to Justice Academy for the Athletically Excellent," Was what Oliver was saying. What I heard was. "I can get you out. I can take you away." And really that's all he needed to say. My answer was the one of the things I most sure in my entire life, "Yes, I'll do it."


	2. Chapter 2

This is where the hard part comes in. "The hard part" being the whole reason why I hadn't wanted to hit the center of that target. Why I hadn't wanted to audition in the first place. I knew I'd make it. Just like I knew I wouldn't be able to go even as I answered to that recruiter that I would. Luckily, I had time before the paperwork got through the woodwork of the academy. I heard the front door slam and I cringed. Maybe not so lucky because it meant I'd have to spend even more time with him.

It's like he could hear my thoughts by the way he immediately stomped over to my room. He opened the door roughly as if he thought I wouldn't be there. It was the way he'd been opening the door ever since Jade left. He was waiting for the day when he'd open it and I'd be gone: frankly, so was I but for different reasons. While I was waiting for my escape like a caged tiger, he was waiting for it like a warden to a prisoner. He stared me down and without saying anything left. If it was another part of the day he would have told me to go practice, but he knew I had work. It was good I had work: I couldn't think with him here.

Work was as tedious as ever, but the fast paced monotony of it gave me a break from the stress of thinking about what I was going to do. Every time I had any down time I would volunteer to do anything just to not sit there anything to think about how I was going to get my dad to let me go.

The walk home was everything I had been trying to avoid. My thoughts seemed too loud in my head, and the anxiety was almost causing me to revisit my lunch. I was to blocks from my house when I got the call. I almost didn't answer because it was my dad but I knew the consequences.

Later I would be happy I did because that phone call was the one universal occurrence that changed everything. If I believed in god I'd say it was an act of divine intervention and if I believed in luck I'd go play the lottery. But I don't believe in either. So, as I sit there on the bench a few blocks from my house, not even worrying about the fact it's about to get dark and this by far the safest place to be in Gotham, I smile. The stress from earlier leaving my body in a sigh and I thanked the universe. I thanked every deity known to man and some I made up on the spot, and I didn't care. I was just so relieved. I laughed at myself for worrying so much before getting up to walk to my soon-to-be empty apartment the smile still plastered firmly on face. I knew I'd have to wipe it off my face before I went up to the apartment so my dad wouldn't know. But for now I basked in my happiness.


	3. Chapter 3

** Wow I just noticed my chapters are suuuuper short. But it's because I'm writing this in financial management. So….**

My foot tapped nervously on the plush carpet of the carpet in the waiting room of the school. I had just arrived. The anxiety was part worry I could get caught by my dad part the fact that I was in a super posh school where I knew no one. For my entire I'd been in the same apartment, in the same neighborhood, going to school with the same kids, and now I'm here. So far from where I had been. It was as if I was released. A new person that I could create.

My train of thought was broken when he walked in. Walk being an exaggeration, he practically rolled. Behind him followed a lean blond man who looks to have pushed him into the office. I looked back down at the boy sprawled across the floor and found he was dressed in a bathing suit and had sunscreen across his freckled nose. "Wally, I told you had detention for that prank you pulled last week. Just because I'm your uncle does not mean I'm going to let you push me around," the blonde man huffed. And for someone trying to get his nephew's respect he was pouting pretty childishly. "Wally" got up and dusted of his shorts and ran a hand threw his shockingly red hair. "Come on Uncle Barry, I told you I'd do it next week," was the whined response.

They continued their bickering without the noticing me or the brooding man coming up behind them. "What seems to be the problem?" Immediately, Barry says, "Well I have to go see if Dick is still in detention because unlike some people he actually showed up," and with an indignant huff he left, leaving a visibly nervous Wally and an annoyed-looking man in a suit. The man gave a long suffering sigh, "Sit down Wally, I'll be with you in a second." He looked over at me and then went back to the headmaster office where Coach Oliver (call me Ollie) had just went in. I had just seen the head master. Wally slumped down into the seat next to me with a smile spreading across his face. He stuck out his hand. "Hey, I'm Wallace but everyone calls me Wally." I looked at his hand incredulously and his smile turned into a smirk. "You're supposed to shake it. Or slap it, I don't particularly care,"

My walls slammed up, "Thanks for stating the obvious, Baywatch." His eyes flashed with confusion before he looked down and laughed. But in that moment Ollie came out and said, "Go on in Artemis."


	4. Chapter 4

Headmaster Wayne sat in a fancy chair behind a huge, oak desk looking intimidating. He got up and stuck out his hand for me to shake as I walked in. I shook it and briefly remembered something my dad had told me about handshakes telling a lot about a person. Mr. Wayne's was firm and concise: all business. I sat down in the chair that he gestured to and tried not to think about the probability that he found out that my dad doesn't know I'm here or that my dad has found out that I'm here. "Artemis, I'd like to welcome you to the Justice Academy for the Athletically Excellent. I'd also like to warn you that the things you got away with at Gotham North will not be considered acceptable here. This school is only for those worthy of its prestige. We only accept excellence here: in all areas of your life."

He pauses here and looks at me, while I try to hide the nerves that are making my hand's shake. "So, those mediocre grades that you had been producing at your last school will not be acceptable. I've seen your test scores Artemis: you can do better. So, I expect you to. If you don't, your scholarship will be retracted and you will be sent home." The way he says that makes Artemis wonder for a second if he knows how much of a punishment that would truly be. "Oliver went out on a limb for you because I had my doubts. I only want that best at this school." I wince at the thought of almost having lost my chance at freedom simply because I'd been lazy. "He assures me you are."

When I leave Headmaster Wayne's office, Oliver is sitting outside waiting for me. He and Wally are chatting amicably until I walk over. Oliver as usual looks like an over excited puppy at the sight of me and something like affection bubbles up in my chest. "How'd it go kiddo?" Oliver proclaims enthusiastically. "It went fine," is my response. Wally is watching us interact as if this is all very interesting and has opened to his mouth to say something when Headmaster Wayne's voice comes out from his office, "Wally." Wally snaps his mouth shut and pales considerably to which Oliver snickers, like the twelve year old he she found him to be in the two months she's known him for. He gets up and takes a steeling breath. "Want to give me a kiss for luck, beautiful?" He says as he looks me. I scoff over the outraged noise Oliver has just made, "In your dreams, Baywatch." Wally makes his way to the office and winks as he closes the door behind him. As she leaves the office with a slightly enraged Oliver she hears Wally's, "Awwww, come on Bruce. It wasn't even my fault; it was Dick's." The laugh that erupts from her chest is the first genuine one in a long time, and with it, comes a little bit more hope than she had to begin with.

Oliver eventually takes the lead, and we make our way to my dorm. Oliver has been talking the entire mostly nonsense I don't care about, like how many types of foods you can get at the cafeteria and how homecoming is in a month. I nod occasionally and hum noncommitingly until he says, "This bit is going to be a little odd. All the single dorms are booked and there are no openings in the doubles in the girl's dorm." He pauses and rubs the back of his neck anxiously, like he's afraid to continue. "So, you'll have to stay with the vets in the coed rooms," he rushes out as he flinches back. I mentally scoff because: how is he even considered an adult? "Okay." Is all I say and continue on from where we paused on the sunny pathway. He looks taken aback for a second, but jogs to catch up with me. Something he said catches my attention though, "What do you mean by vets?" I say as I lift my ponytail from where it's sticking to my neck from the summer heat. Oliver seems to have recovered his cheery confidence when he says, "The academy as you know is from 1st to 12th grade and after being here for a certain amount of years you can apply for the coed dorm when you're in your high school years." I was confused. Why had he told the information like he'd dropped a nine-year-old's favorite teddy bear in a blender, if it was considered a privileged?He must have read it on my face because he laughed. "Being in the coed dorm you're held to much higher expectations than if you were just in the girl's dorms." I nod: that explained why Headmaster Wayne had given me such a strict talking to. I've had worse.

We made it to the dorm as a girl and boy were exiting both wearing swim suits. "Hi!" The girl smiled and waved as we walked up. "Oliver who's this?" Oliver smiled in return, "Megan, meet Artemis. Artemis this is Megan. Artemis is going to be joining my Archery team." Megan nodded excitedly. "It's great to meet you Artemis. Maybe you can join me and Conner at the pool later if you get the chance." Connor nods his head at me briefly as he and Megan walk around us. Oliver looks at me expectantly. "What?" I say with a raised an eyebrow. "What do you think: about everything" Oliver scans his card for the door to open, and we walk in while I ponder the question. This school had just been I means to an end. I hadn't really thought about enjoying my time here. I smile at him when as we walk to the elevator where he scans his card again. The smile he gives me in return makes the warm feeling from earlier bloom in my chest again. It doesn't leave even after he's left me in my room to unpack.


	5. Chapter 5

I was sitting there wondering if coed meant that there were both boys' and girls' room, but they were still separate, or if I would be rooming with a male (if it was the later, why was this allowed, I mean we're teenagers), when he walked in. And by "he" I mean Wally. I just sat there on my bed staring at him. Just my luck I get paired with probably the most obnoxious person in this entire school as a roommate, and I had thought things were looking up. Granted I didn't know him that well, but that's beside the point. It seems like he hadn't seen me yet, which seems kind of self-absorbed if you ask me, and as he turns and shut the door I try not to admire the lean muscles of his back and arms. He turns around and gives a screech of surprise that has my lips quirking up. "What are you doing here?" he asks from his position by the door. He's gripping the door knob like it will protect him if I attack.

"I'm your new roommate or so it seems," is my response and a grin blooms on his face. "Sweet! I get a hot babe as my roommate." This in my opinion is the wrong thing to say. I walk straight up to him and get in his face. His grin drops off his face. "Okay, let's set some ground rules Baywatch: if you try anything I will remove your arms from your body," He pales considerably at this, and I look down at his freckled chest, "and keep your clothes on when I'm around, got it?" He seems to have recovered by the time I finish my second rule and sarcastically reply's, "Darn, and I usually sleep in the nude." I scoff, "I doubt there's much to see, and I'll be adding more to the rule; so, don't think I'm done."

"Jeez Harpy, I don't even know your name and you've already insulted me, what, six or seven times?" I ignore him in favor of unpacking my meager belongings. "That was my subtle way of asking your name again," he says from where he's digging through a drawer for something. "Artemis, Artemis Crook." He grunts in what I assume is affirmation that he heard. I hear the rustle of clothing and turn to tell him, he better not be taking anything else off, but am distracted by the way his muscles contract as he pulls on a t-shirt that has a cheesy chemistry joke on it. "What sport were you accepted for?" I drag my eyes away from his shirt to his face. I am relieved to see that he's too distracted trying to get the vestiges of sunscreen off his face to have noticed I was staring. "Archery, I'm going to be on Oliver's team." His eyes focus on me when I say that, and they narrow as he looks at me. "Oh, you must be Roy's replacement." I'm so angry for a brief second that I think I'm going to get kicked out before the school year even starts, but that soon turns to confusion which reverts to annoyance. "I'm not here to replace anyone." I see him looking at me as I go back to unpacking and after a few seconds he breaks the silence and says, "I have to go to detention, I guess I'll see you later." He leaves and I finish unpacking in silence. When I'm done I flop down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. It's so different from the one in my room. The one in my room is a sort of off-white color with a ceiling fan that doesn't do much other than move around the hot Gotham air when it's summertime like it is now. I sit there in a room chilled to air-conditioned perfection, and even with what seems to be a terrible roommate am filled with gratitude. I look over at the Alice in Wonderland poster on my wall and feel like I've found the rabbit hole I've been waiting for my whole life.

I decide to take up Megan's offer and join her and Conner at the pool. The silence of the room conductive to too many thoughts, ones I'm not in the mood for exploring. I'm about to open the door when it bursts open on its own accord and my arms fly up on instinct derived from years of martial arts training, "Wally, dude, you shou-," the boy (teen?) stops short as he sees me, and his eyes seem to narrow behind his black sunglasses. I probably look odd to him, a stranger in his friend's room with her hands up in-a-way that suggests she's ready to fight. Instead of doing what I expect him to do, which is jump to conclusions, he smirks and sticks out his hand. "Hey, you must be Artimes, I'm Dick." I look him up and down briefly, assessing him, before I take his hand. "Here this is yours," Dick says as he hands over a card, like Oliver had used earlier to get into the building except this one has the picture that they had me take in the office. I grimace at my picture: I look sweaty and my ponytail looks rumpled from my flight, stray hair flying out. I should probably take a shower before going to join Megan, now that I think about it.

Dick laughs and I look up at him, "If you're worried about your picture: don't. This one is just for now. We take yearbook pictures in a few weeks, and they'll replace this one with that one." I'm relieved but try not to show it. Now that I'm thinking about how I need a shower the question of where that is comes to mind. I didn't see one in the room, nice to know they draw the line on this whole coed thing at showering, though there is a bathroom. Maybe, I should have listened to Oliver's speech on the way here. I'm so consumed by the thought of how I'm going to find the shower without looking like the new kid, even though I am, that I forget all about the ki- Dick until he's snapping in front of my face. "Helloooo, did you even hear what I said?" I snap back into focus and look at him. "No," I answer truthfully. He sighs, sounding more amused than anything and repeats, "I was asking if you had met your roommate yet?" I must make a face in response to the thought of Wally because he laughs. "Yeah, I met him. You just missed him. He went to makeup that detention he skipped." This makes him cackle and I have to ask, "How do you get detention before school starts anyway?"

The answering story I get is of an extremely well thought out and elaborate prank the two of them, Dick and Wally, pull on Barry during the summer program held here. Barry gives them 2 weeks detention, to make an example out of them, and they are paying for their prank now. "It was totally worth it though." Dick goes on to explain that Barry is never truly mad at Wally and just acts like that around other students so they don't think he's picking favorites. Dick looks down at his watch, it's one of those state of the art touch screen ones, and say, "Well, it has been asterous meeting you Artemis." He walks off down the hall towards the elevator, leaving me to wonder what the hell "asterous" means before he turns back and says, "The showers are down the hall to your left." I had been in the process of closing the door when he says that. When I look out into the hallway to ask him how he knew that I had no clue where the showers were, he's gone only the vague cackle I'd heard him make earlier and the ding of the elevator left in his wake.


End file.
